Review: Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes from Younique

Okay, while I'm sick of people advertising "It Works" wraps and embroidered bag parties on Facebook (I don't mind the items themselves, it's just the sheer volume!), I was intrigued when I saw a few folks having Younique parties, especially around Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes.  I'm just not blessed in the lashes department.  So I decided to bite the $29 bullet and try it myself.

The kit comes in a hard case that reminds me of a glasses case.  It has two tubes inside, one with the application gel (which resembles mascara) and another with the fibers.  Yes, this actually incorporates fibers into your lashes, making them look extended!  I didn't find that they fall into your eye or anything, they just kind of add.  It's a little challenging not to have them get clumpy, but the effect was really great for me!

The first photo is without anything, then the 2nd two are post-application.  I find it's easiest to do one eye at a time, with gel, fibers, then gel again.  You can put mascara on first or curl lashes for a greater effect, but I wanted to review just the kit itself here.

I like the photo of my entire face because suddenly it looks like I have eyeliner on even though I don't!  Can you imagine if I actually knew how to do eye makeup?  :)

Before and After

Overall, I found application to be easy, and that the effect was clear and noticeable.  I'm definitely going to make this a part of my beauty routine, because it is the best way to get lashes without falsies that I've found so far.  Is it worth the $29?  To me it is, because of the effect.  I didn't do my bottom lashes, but I bet you could do those too.  I'm glad I bought them to try, and I hope you find this review to be useful!

Budgeting Bloggers: April 2015

Somehow, I ended up selling more than I spent in April.  I think it was an unintentional record or something.  It was not a heavy shopping month to me, mainly because I spent so much time away from home either wrapping up Peru or in Arizona for a week.  I bought quite a bit more than this, but I returned almost everything because I wasn't happy with the fit.

1. Porto Cruz 3/4-Sleeve Crochet Tunic Cover-Up in Navy ($38 retail, paid $20):  This got some great compliments at my resort trip to Arizona!  The navy color is perfect as my suits are red, royal blue, and mixed print, so it goes with them all.  I got free shipping by having it sent to my local JCPenney, and I tried on my goods in-store and returned what I didn't want to keep.  I like that method of shopping, because I save money and even a little time.
2. Pixley Bixby Dot Print 3/4 Tab Sleeve Blouse via Stitch Fix ($48, FREE with referral credits):  I kept one item from my most recent Fix.  Will review the whole box soon!  I had two $25 credits from people getting their first Stitch Fixes via my referral link, so that made it free for me.
3. Blue Scarf ($3, not pictured): I bought a soft, blue scarf of unknown brand at Last Chance in Arizona.  I didn't need another scarf, but that's just par for the course.

I also bought sunglasses in Arizona when my cheap pair broke, so I considered that a 1:1 replacement.  I also bought a few white dresses for an upcoming DAR event, but since that's tax-deductible/event-focused I didn't count it here either.  I bought everything at bargain prices for specific occasion use.

Don't forget to check out the rest of the Budgeting Bloggers at Franish!

$23 spent - $26 Posh = $0 total spent $66 savings
Total 2015 Net Spending: Q1 $616 + $0 = $616
Want to see what's newly listed in my Poshmark closet for sale?  Check it out!

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• cmesko
• affableolive
• jyih

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Shop more of my closet on Poshmark

Peru: Recap

This is the final post for our Peru trip, with a list of all the posts and a bit of the odds and ends gathered from our total experience.  I've really enjoyed sharing this trip in detail with all of you; I am using the same narrative written to create our printed photo album of the experience.  Please let me know anytime if you ever have any questions!

Peru Blog Posts:

• Planning (and Packing for) the Trip of a Lifetime
• Day 1 & 2: Lima to Cusco to the Sacred Valley
• Day 3: Ollantaytambo and Písac
• Day 4: Aguas Calientes & Machu Picchu
• Day 5: Machu Picchu Intipunku Hike
• Day 6: Cusco Walking Tour
• Day 6: Cooking Class
• Day 7: Lima
• Where to Stay
• What to Eat

Odds & Ends:

• Passport:  You'll need your passport, as well as the little paper from immigration, to check in at all of your hotels as well as for entrance into Machu Picchu.  Don't lose the paper; tuck it into your passport and remember when you'll need it.
• Altitude & Sun:  Bring Ibuprofen to help in case you have altitude sickness.  Even better, adjust your itinerary so you spend time in the Sacred Valley vs. Cusco in the beginning of your trip, as Cusco is higher up than Machu Picchu and the valley.  We also drank the coca tea which at least had a positive placebo effect; we did not experience altitude sickness, just shortness of breath while hiking/climbing steep steps.  In addition, even on cloudy days the sun exposure is strong.
• Safety/Language:  I felt safer in Peru than I have in many other countries.  I took precautions, such as wearing my bag/camera in the front in crowded places, and we made sure our passports were secure.  I felt like people were less aggressive; even when they're making a hard sell, an insistent "No, gracias" is usually met with a kind, "Okay, maybe tomorrow!"  In addition, most people in the very touristy areas speak a decent amount of English; that said, why not try your Spanish?
• Motion Sickness:  I found that a Dramamine on the days we were on the road (think curvy, switchback elevations), in a train, or flying in/out of Cusco (elevation, so the take-off and landing is kind of steep) helped me.  I do tend to get motion sickness, and the bus ride up and down to Machu Picchu was a challenge when I forgot the medicine.  I'm sure the altitude doesn't help.
• Toilet Paper:  Even at high-end restaurants and hotels, you may notice a trash can in your bathroom stall and signs that ask you to throw your used toilet paper into the can.  The plumbing/pipes in the country are inconsistent, so flushing your TP might cause an unpleasant blockage.  It's a weird habit to break during the trip, so just forewarning you!
• Showers:  Don't always expect H&C to designate Hot and Cold.  Remember C = Caliente = Hot, and F = Frio = Cold.  I got into a cold shower because the "F" knob I assumed to be hot like fire or fuego... LOL!
• Cash:  Touristy locations like some places in Cusco, as well as the Lima airport, accept U.S. dollars.  I used an ATM to get Soles (the local currency) vs. the Money Exchange places because I think the exchange rate is better, and my bank reimburses ATM fees.  At the time we visited $1 = about 3 Soles.
• Taxis:  We didn't take any taxis, but just know that some of them are authorized and some are not... and it's hard to tell between the two.  If you do take a cab, remember they don't use meters, so you negotiate upfront what the cost is going to be.
• Shopping:  We didn't buy anything really high-end, but we love the souvenirs we took home.  You can get hats, scarves, sweaters, socks, and bags in vibrant colors and patterns.  We also took home some pisco liquor via Duty Free on the way home, for a great price.  I loved feeling how soft the items were and choosing from the assortment in markets.  Sure, the cheaper stuff is probably made in China, but the alpaca is sourced in Cusco and you can't beat the prices after a little negotiation.  We were paying around $5 for a hat or scarf, a bit more for a blanket, and we got a duffle to bring it all home for under $20.  That said, you can also by pure alpaca, baby alpaca, fair trade alpaca, or vicuña, and pay in the hundreds of dollars.  We just needed to bring home small items to remember the trip and gift to friends and family.

Do you think you'd like to visit Peru?

Let me know if you have any questions!